Rep. Stephanie N. Murphy

No Clearance for Terrorists Act This bill requires processes for vetting an individual for a security clearance to take into consideration whether that individual has been involved in terrorism. The Special Security Directorate of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center must ensure that the guidelines for adjudicating security clearances, when determining what conditions could raise a security concern or disqualify an applicant, include whether the applicant has been involved in or advocated domestic or international terrorism. The directorate must also ensure that guidelines and instructions to federal agencies relating to security clearances include screening an individual for possible involvement with domestic terrorism. The directorate and the Office of Personnel Management must ensure that certain forms related to public trust and national security positions include questions regarding whether the individual submitting the form has been involved in domestic terrorism.

Maddy summaryHR 5544 would remove the requirement for annual U.S. presidential determinations about Kazakhstan's trade status under the Trade Act of 1974. Specifically, it allows the President to formally extend permanent "normal trade relations" (NTR) treatment to Kazakhstan's products, ending the need for yearly reviews under Title IV of the Trade Act. This bill directly affects U.S. trade with Kazakhstan by making the country's trade status with the U.S. permanent and predictable, rather than subject to annual renewal. The key provision streamlines trade relations by eliminating the existing Title IV review process once the President extends NTR treatment.

Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act of 2021 or the AFTER Act of 2021 This bill requires federal research facilities to facilitate the adoption or nonlaboratory placement of certain warm-blooded animals (e.g., dogs, cats, monkeys, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits) with animal rescue organizations, animal sanctuaries, animal shelters, or individuals. In order to be adopted or placed, the animals must (1) no longer be needed for research; (2) be suitable for release; (3) not be birds, rats, or mice.

Gun Suicide Prevention Act This bill prohibits manufacturers and retailers from selling firearms unless the firearm includes a label with the toll-free telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

One-Stop Pilot Program Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a pilot program at not more than six foreign last point of departure airports to permit passengers and their accessible property to bypass domestic security rescreening at a connecting airport in the United States. Screening may be bypassed if (1) the country of departure has an aviation screening agreement with the United States setting standards and protocols comparable to those in the United States; (2) passengers cannot access their checked baggage until arriving at their final destination; and (3) upon arrival in the United States, passengers do not come into contact with other arriving international passengers (or their property) or persons who have not been screened. The TSA must ensure there is no reduction in the level of security or specific aviation security standards and requirements for screening passengers and their property prior to boarding an international flight bound for the United States, including standards or requirements regarding (1) high risk passengers; and (2) weapons, explosives, and incendiaries. If the TSA determines that the foreign countries participating in the screening agreements have not maintained and implemented comparable standards and protocols to those in the United States, it must ensure that passengers and their property arriving from the foreign airports are rescreened in the United States before they are permitted into sterile areas of the airports. The pilot program shall terminate six years after the enactment of the bill.

Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.

Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2021 This bill addresses harassment at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to include in its annual security report a statement of policy regarding harassment on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and a sex stereotype), disability, or religion. In addition, the Department of Education may award grants to IHEs to initiate, expand, or improve programs to (1) prevent the harassment of students; (2) provide counseling or redress services to students who have been harassed or accused of subjecting other students to harassment; or (3) educate and train students, faculty, or staff to prevent harassment or address harassment if it occurs.

Re-using Equipment for Environmental Fortification Act or the REEF Act This bill requires the Department of the Navy to notify Congress of the pending retirement of vessels that are viable candidates for artificial reefing (intentionally sinking a vessel to promote marine life). Specifically, the Navy must provide such notice not later than 90 days before the viable candidate's retirement from the Naval Vessel Register.

U.S.-Israel Military Technology Cooperation Act This bill modifies the required actions of the United States-Israel Defense Acquisition Advisory Group and requires the establishment of the United States-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group to address such operations and technology matters required of the group.

John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as changes to methods of election and redistricting. Further, states and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. Next, the bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill also outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.